Every once in a while I check DeadAtYourAge.com
It’s an amusing (usually) look at the people who died at about your age and whom you have now outlived. Yeehaw, I guess. Except that they list rather accomplished people, who did more in their limited years than I have yet to even try. But I’m letting that slide for now.
Today, deadatyouraage.com told me this:
You’ve outlived Judith Resnik by almost a month. She was a second U.S. female astronaut and victim of shuttle Challenger explosion. She died on January 28, 1986, when you were 13 years old.
Oh, wow, that made me cry. Then and now. Like most of the nation, I watched that on T.V. And was confused by what I saw because I had never for a moment considered their deaths possible. That day ranks right up there with some of the major national traumas—Iran hostages, Sept. 11, the heat shield astronaut deaths…
I don’t really want to think about that today. I don’t.
So I updated my “most popular posts” links. Go read something I wrote a while ago, when I had something to say. Right now I have nothing.
NaptimeWriting 
I reread your ambivalent parenting post, because I love it, and because I do what I’m told.
If it makes you feel any better, you’ve outlived Jesus of Nazareth, and I strongly suspect that (if you play your cards right) nobody will be able to blame any religious wars on you.
I always feel sad when I think about that explosion. I couldn’t really believe what I was seeing…
OK, even I followed commands and read “ambivalent parenting,” wherein I finally found (a link) defining “meh.” Whew! That’s one reference obscure to ROTA (reader older than average) down, 49 more to go.
And what I said about maiden aunt lips twisted over cursing? Forget it, YOU get a pass. Your rants rock, your pants sock, your aunts mock.
OMG, I remember that, too. We had the day off from school for some reason, and my bro and I were in our family room with my mom, still in our PJs. She had the TV on so that we could watch the launch. Man, that sucked. Very eerie.
how is THE RANT not on the popular list? it’s one of the funniest damn things i read in months. required reading.
i was hiking in the Rockies on the morning of the Columbia disaster. i kept seeing “stardust”, little sparkles everywhere out of the corner of my eye up in the heavens all along the hike, as i had no knowledge of the shuttle exploding since i had been on the mountain since 5am, way before liftoff. i got home that night, turned on the news, watched in horror, and thought about all the wishes i made on people, not stars. every time i see starshowers, i wonder what’s going on up there, hoping that it’s space junk falling to earth and not scientists.
@Dan I adore that you make me laugh. I really do hope not to have religious wars blamed on me. though being the root cause of The Inquisition is so sexy, thanks to Monty Python.
btw, it was your comment on the ambivalence post that made me think i should revisit the popular list. That one still brings in legions just from google searches of “don’t like parenting”. Seriously.
@KW and Gibby, chills.
@itza you’re funny. Glad I can make cursing fun for you. Go search my other rants. They’re not as good, but still.
@jc that is the most horrifyingly beautiful story I’ve heard. That’s gross and magical and so 20th century human I can’t stand it. Ew. Awe. And a holy f–ing crap thrown in for good measure. But not enough hold f–ing crap to start any religious wars. Please. Dan believes in me.
You know all I care about is living to piss on my enemies grave. Everyone has to have a goal.
Hmm, I should really proofread before I hit the “send” button. Enenies’ graves
Yikes, talk about not feeling like you’ve accomplished much. Look what I got:
At your exact age, Robert F. Kennedy died of assassination by gunshot. He was a U.S. attorney general and New York senator who was committed to the civil rights movement.
alurkingfriend: damn, and you never got to bang Marilyn Monroe, either!! Suckage!
Those who achieved greatness usually die earlier… but that does not mean we have not achieved any thing.
hey, lurker, I believe you could get there in a few weeks of tough work. But your work now is pretty important, so…I don’t know. Assassination is kind of nasty way to go. Take your time.
@aw, fae, I don’t even proofread my posts. For a grammar freak and hardcore editor, I’m really lax with internet stuff. you weren’t judged. Don’t worry.